Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Language: Old English
Origin: docga

dog

1 noun
     
dog
Related topics: Animals
dog1 S1 W1 [countable]
1

animal

HBA a common animal with four legs, fur, and a tail. Dogs are kept as pets or trained to guard places, find drugs etc [↪ puppy]:
I could hear a dog barking.
a pack of stray dogs
What breed of dog is she?
2

male animal

HBA a male dog, fox, or wolf [↪ bitch]
3

woman

informal not polite an offensive word meaning an unattractive woman
4

dog eat dog

when people compete against each other and will do anything to get what they want:
It's a dog eat dog world out there.
5

be going to the dogs

informal if a country or organization is going to the dogs, it is getting worse and will be difficult to improve
6

dishonest

informal not polite an offensive word for an unpleasant or dishonest man:
• You dirty dog!
7

a dog's life

spoken a life that is difficult and unpleasant, with very little pleasure:
His wife's a nag who leads him a dog's life (=makes his life unpleasant).
8

make a dog's breakfast of something

British English informal to do something very badly:
The orchestra made a complete dog's breakfast of the fourth movement.
9

a dog's dinner

DC British English informal something that is meant to be impressive or fashionable but that other people think is not:
10

not have a dog's chance

British English informal to have no chance of being successful
11

every dog has its/his day

used to say that even the most unimportant person has a time in their life when they are successful and important
12

like a dog with two tails

British English informal very pleased and happy because something good has happened
13

feet

dogs

[plural] American English informal feet:
Boy, my dogs really hurt.
14

poor quality

American English informal something that is of very poor quality
15

dog and pony show

American English an event that has only been organized so that people can admire it and think that it is impressive, not for any real purpose
16

be the dog's bollocks

British English informal a very rude expression used to say that something is very good
17

the dogs

DSO British English informal a sports event consisting of a series of races for dogs
18

put on the dog

American English old-fashioned to pretend to be richer, more clever etc than you really are

➔ the hair of the dog

at hair (13), shaggy dog story

; ➔ as sick as a dog

at sick1 (1)

; ➔ let sleeping dogs lie

at sleep1 (6)

; ➔ the tail wagging the dog

at tail1 (11), top dog

; ➔ treat someone like a dog

at treat1 (1)
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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